Neolithic figurine found in Romania

A Neolithic figurine discovered in Transylvania has provided insight into ancient crafting techniques. The artifact, made of clay and dated to between 4500 and 4050 BCE, was found at the Dâmbul Cetății site near the village of Șoimeni in the Harghita county of Romania. The figurine belongs to the Cucuteni culture, known for its representations of women.

Crafting method revealed by cracks

The figurine was crafted by joining two pieces of clay before firing. Over millennia, natural processes caused cracks in the object, revealing this method of construction. The museum has not yet disclosed the exact dimensions of the figurine.

Cucuteni culture's significance

The Cucuteni-Ariușd-Trypillia tradition is among the earliest major civilizations in Europe. Previous excavations at the same site had uncovered figurines larger than 25 centimeters, considered some of the most accomplished works of Cucuteni-Ariușd figurative art.

Earlier study confirms similar methods

A 2015 study by archaeologists Dan-Lucian Buzea and Adela Kovács showed that the creators of these figurines used a similar method of assembling separate clay masses before firing, a technique also observed in the newly discovered figurine.